by Kimberly Rinker, managing editor, Hoof Beats

Delaware, OH — On Tuesday afternoon, a dainty bay filly was checking out the view from her stall in the Jugette barn at the Delaware, Ohio County Fairgrounds, munching quietly on a few strands of alfalfa.

Appropriately named Checkouttheview — trained by David Menary — she will be making her first start on American soil in Wednesday’s $300,000 Jugette over Delaware’s famed half-mile oval. She’ll start from post three with driver John Campbell aboard in the first of a pair of $48,000 Jugette eliminations.

USTA/Kim Rinker photo

Larry Menary prepares the sophomore pacing filly Checkouttheview for a trip on the track at Delaware.

Menary, 28, who has been training Standardbreds since 1999, conditions the winner of $130,557 lifetime, while his father, Larry, acts as caretaker. Menary’s ten-horse stable is based at Victory Lane Farm in Ontario, only a few miles from Mohawk.

“We race mostly on the Woodbine-Mohawk circuit,” Menary said. “We really haven’t had this filly that long, as we bought her at the Canada mixed sale for $50,000.”

The sophomore daughter by Real Artist comes into her Jugette elimination fresh off a second-place finish at Kawartha Downs, just her second start for Menary, pacing in 1:53 with Doug Brown at the lines.

“I like this filly,” Menary said. “And I bought her because I thought she was a sound, handy filly with a great broodmare potential.”

Checkouttheview earned $53,439 at two, taking a 2-2-4 record from 13 starts and earning $53,439. Her freshman mark of 1:55.4 came over a sloppy Woodbine oval in an overnight event on October 17, 2006 with Jody Jamieson at the lines.

“She’s sharp right now,” Menary noted. “She has a little bit of an attitude and is nice on the track. She doesn’t wear a boot or a pole and stays very sound.”

This year Checkouttheview has earned $77,118, recording a mark of 1:52.2 at Woodbine on May 14 in the $63,900 Princess Series Final with driver Chris Christoforou doing the steering. She has two wins, two seconds and a trio of thirds in 2007 and will be making her 16th start in her Jugette elim.

“All of these horses go so fast now,” Menary added. “Her best attribute is that she’s extremely fast off the gate. With as fast as these horses go nowadays, that’s a big plus in any race.”

Last year Menary trained the winners of $374,208 with a UTR of .286, recording a 31-23-18 record from 174 starters. This is also his first Delaware experience.

“My dad came along because he’s been to the Jug about 20 times, as a spectator,” Menary laughed. “He told me there’s no place like it, and he was right.”